Post your BC pic and a pic of your hair today

[pookaloo83]

I haven't posted in a million years, so bear with me. If you go to my photobucket don't judge me for those styles I wore back then lol. Those funky things got me to wear I am today, lawd.
Day of BC Dec 19, 2007. Yes I remember the exact day lol:


Last time I blow dried/flat ironed in July 2011:

 

[pookaloo83]

BC April 2010

In August

 

[knt1229]

Deleted post

 

[Damaged but not out]

Last time I blow dried/flat ironed in July 2011:

\


Are you kidding me!

This is sooo awesome

 

[mieshashair]

Thanks hun lesedi But I'm feeling stressed like you. I wanna be MBL now...... like now now

Do YOU WANNA see the hairstyle I did the other day.

I think Ima throw a weave on this ish.

I can't take it no more.

Ur hair is beautiful


Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[mieshashair]

I haven't posted in a million years, so bear with me. If you go to my photobucket don't judge me for those styles I wore back then lol. Those funky things got me to wear I am today, lawd.
Day of BC Dec 19, 2007. Yes I remember the exact day lol:

Texture pic of my tiny coils from April 2010:

Last time I blow dried/flat ironed in July 2011:

First Blow dry/Flat Iron in July 2011:

I have been natural for over 3.5 years now and the first time I used any heat was this May 2011, so we'll see how it goes. As you can see I still get a lot of shrinkage with flat ironed hair, because it is not bone straight, but that is fine with me as I like the fullness. I've been keeping it blowdried to help slow down these ssk's. I should have been WSL a long time ago, but these suckas don't play and I've had to trim a lot lol! All that to say I love my naps and I will spare yall the pics of my relaxed/ jacklaxed days as I was TOE-UP, chewed-up neck length lol.

Love ur hair


Sent from my iPhone using LHCF

 

[Spiffy]

Sammie7 Amazing progress! What did you do to get the wavy look in the 3rd pic?

 

[Leesh]

You can't be freakin' serious!!! I am absolutely floored! Your Growth and Retention is on Point! Your hair is Fabulous Girly, You should be proud of yourself!

Forreal Yall, I am Flabbergasted right now! Sheesh!

Can You teach a class?!!!

 

[Sammie7]

Thanks ladies I appreciate it! Spiffy: While I was flat ironing my hair was making me hot (I live in Central Florida A/C & fan still didn't help lol), so I was putting the sections up into bantu knots as I went along. I'd say I had maybe a total of 8-10 all over by the time I'd finished and when I took them down it looked like that. So, it was a happy coincidence lol. I then put it away in the two braids to go to sleep.

I can't wrap because my hair is uncombable even when straight my hair likes to web together/knot and I am not about to rip it out trying to pull a comb straight through it. I always work in sections and hold the section in one hand while combing with the other from the bottom up, so I don't pull on my scalp. Am I rambling again? lol

 

[afrofaithful]

I haven't posted in a million years, so bear with me. If you go to my photobucket don't judge me for those styles I wore back then lol. Those funky things got me to wear I am today, lawd.
Day of BC Dec 19, 2007. Yes I remember the exact day lol:

Texture pic of my tiny coils from April 2010:

Last time I blow dried/flat ironed in July 2011:

First Blow dry/Flat Iron in July 2011:

I have been natural for over 3.5 years now and the first time I used any heat was this May 2011, so we'll see how it goes. As you can see I still get a lot of shrinkage with flat ironed hair, because it is not bone straight, but that is fine with me as I like the fullness. I've been keeping it blowdried to help slow down these ssk's. I should have been WSL a long time ago, but these suckas don't play and I've had to trim a lot lol! All that to say I love my naps and I will spare yall the pics of my relaxed/ jacklaxed days as I was TOE-UP, chewed-up neck length lol.

Ummm...regimen please . Your hair is absolutely GAWJUS!!!

 

[Sammie7]

You can't be freakin' serious!!! I am absolutely floored! Your Growth and Retention is on Point! Your hair is Fabulous Girly, You should be proud of yourself!

Forreal Yall, I am Flabbergasted right now! Sheesh!

Can You teach a class?!!!

LOL I can't believe y'all. I swear I've cut of a year's growth at least with all the trims to rid myself of ssk's. I don't know about holding any classes. I BC'd the same time I found the forums back in 2007, so I have had a lot of time to read others experiences/tips and suit them to meet my needs. For instance, if somebody suggested that I try doing wash n' gos, cowashing (build-up city) or washing my hair in ONLY 2-4 sections that were just pinned up with clips and not braided, I would look at them like they were straight crazy.

I usually wash in at least 10 braided sections every 2 weeks and even then my hair is still tangled. I detangle (really should be called de-shed, as my hair is never untangled) for at least 2 hours even when my hair has been straight . Maybe yall can teach me something lol. If I don't go slow I will rip and tear my hair out and that does not lead to length retention. Ok enough of me blathering on. If you don't see me around I am probably doing the homework I should be doing now.

 

[NappyNelle]

Yes please.... Can you share your regimen please Sammie7?

 

[Imani]

....................

 

[Sammie7]

Yes please.... Can you share your regimen please @Sammie7?

I'll try. Y'all got me taking over the dang thread. You'd be surprised how quiet I am in real life.

First, my regimen is a lonooong story that constantly changes lol. I'm not even sure what I will be doing a month from now. Since I just started using heat I'll have to see if my hair wants to fall out my head or not and make changes accordingly. You have been forewarned.

Second, I know some people don't like to believe me when I say it is more about the techniques you use than the products, but I think that is the case for me. Of course if you are dumping pure lye on your head and expecting virgin remy to start sprouting from your follicles, that's on you boo.

How can I break this down...

Washing:

I wash every 2 weeks in about 10 braided sections. My scalp hates it as I have eczema of the scalp, but I don't think my hair could handle more manipulation than that, since I have to pry apart all the tangles. I use shampoo and do not play with cowashing as it leaves me with crazy build-up. I have to shampoo more than once because of my scalp and this also leads to tangling/matting at the roots. I've tried coating my hair with oil/condish, etc. It doesn't help it just leaves more buildup.

I use aphogee 2 min reconstructer for like 15 min under a plastic baggy with body heat. I rinse that out and apply silk elements mega silk moisture treatment and leave it in over night. After I rinse it in the morning I apply aphogee provitamin leave in conditioner and let my t-shirt that I use as a hair towel soak up the excess.

Blow dry:

I then start the blow drying process while hair is still damp. Is this the best way? I don't know it's just what I do. I apply Beyond the Zone Turn Up the Heat to each section right before I blow dry making sure to detangle the section and coat the strands well. I use the tension blow dry method starting with my ends, since once they dry up they do not like to stretch out.

I have been wearing my hair in small twists (might be large to others), so once I finish a section I twist it up. Takes me roughly 3 hours. If I was going to flat iron I would just use the comb chase method in very small sections. I have been using my Sally's GVP Chi 1 inch ceramic flat iron at around 325 degrees.

Moisturize with a small bit of Oyin Handmade Honey Hemp conditioner when I feel I need it. Seal with sweet almond oil. Usually I will put a tiny dab of the almond oil on my hands everyday and smooth it over my hair to add a layer of protection from the elements even if I don't moisturize.

Protective style pretty much all the time with buns dressed up with accessories.

I have been trimming pretty regularly( 1/4 in once a month) lately trying to get rid of the rest of my ssk's and splits. I want to straighten and trim at the end of Sept, but I'll have to see if I have the time.

Before I started keeping my hair blowdried, I would wear medium twists in a bun for a week week and a half and then do a twist out.

Have I bored you enough yet? Pretty much I do everything slowly, so as not to rip through my hair. Nothing special.

Again thanks for all the compliments. It's a lot of work, but I want to get to wsl one day! Maybe Santa will put it under the Christmas tree. I am tempted to post my half BC messed up hair pic just to scare y'all lol

 

[TopShelf]

Sept 10,2010...less than a 1/2 inch of hair

last week

 

[Stepiphanie]

I done died and went to hair heaven! Your hair is FANTABULOUS!! Gives hope to us high textured girls.

I haven't posted in a million years, so bear with me. If you go to my photobucket don't judge me for those styles I wore back then lol. Those funky things got me to wear I am today, lawd.
Day of BC Dec 19, 2007. Yes I remember the exact day lol:

Texture pic of my tiny coils from April 2010:

Last time I blow dried/flat ironed in July 2011:

First Blow dry/Flat Iron in July 2011:

I have been natural for over 3.5 years now and the first time I used any heat was this May 2011, so we'll see how it goes. As you can see I still get a lot of shrinkage with flat ironed hair, because it is not bone straight, but that is fine with me as I like the fullness. I've been keeping it blowdried to help slow down these ssk's. I should have been WSL a long time ago, but these suckas don't play and I've had to trim a lot lol! All that to say I love my naps and I will spare yall the pics of my relaxed/ jacklaxed days as I was TOE-UP, chewed-up neck length lol.

 

[Dreamn]

@Sammie7 your hair is gorgeous!! The straight wavy hair made my jaw drop

 

[LilMissSunshine5]

Sammie7- I honestly looked at the bantu knot out pic & my jaw dropped open! I just stopped & stared at it for a good minute Before joining LHCF last July, I didn't look at folks hair & start drooling SMH This forum has made me into a hair pervert

 

[qchelle]

Samiie7 your siggy pic is how I felt when I was looking at your hair! FABULOUS!!!!!!

 

[Spiffy]

Sammie7 I have the same prob. as you with SSK's! I dedicate an hour every Wed. to go through my hair and cut them out. That's the only thing I can do to keep them at bay or cut pieces that are starting to form a knot before it actually forms.

To say you've cut a lot, you still have amazing progress for 3.5 years!

 

[Natty_Virgo]

Beautiful hair ladies. These pics give me hope.

Sent from my DROID3 using DROID3

 

[Sianna]

I'll bite. My progress is not all that impressive, but it's progress none the less. Besides, ya gotta start somewhere.

1-25-10 I started out with approx 1/2" of hair.

19 months later...

Honestly, I really thought I'd have a lot more hair by this point in my journey! I figured I'd be at least full SL by now, inching my way to APL! *Le Sigh* Guess that's what I get for not wearing more protective hair styles.

Sammie7 Your hair is BEAUTIFUL girlie! Truly inspiring indeed!

ETA: My hair is blown out on the last three pics, so it's neither fully stretched nor fully shrunken.

 

[Leesh]

TopShelf, Your eyebrows are Gorgeousss!!!

I'm supposed to be checkin' for the hair right! Your progress is pretty impressive as well! Nice accumulation in just about a year.

 

[**SaSSy**]

BC day:

As of June 2011:

Blow-out July 2011:

As of Aug 2011:

Avatar is as of Aug. 2011

 

[lesedi]

**SaSSy**
pretty hair girl!
when did you bc?

 

[**SaSSy**]

**SaSSy**
pretty hair girl!
when did you bc?

Thanks, I BCed on Sept. 28th 2010

 

[Lady_q_tee]

Then:

Now :

Love this for two reasons

1. Your hair growth is simply amazing!

2. I love natural comparisons when hairs in its natural state as opposed to the after shots where hair is flat ironed flat ironed

Beautiful.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using GT-I9000

 

[Kerryann]

...................................

 

[Kerryann]

The last pics were from day Sept. 1,2011 I'm 14 months natural I can't blow dry properly for the life of me

Sent from my PC36100 using PC36100

 

[SherylsTresses]

I'm in the HYH challenge... so I'll post old and random pics for you!

Reminds me of my hair